Out of town visits and granola madness

Liz was in town this weekend, and instead of spending a couple of days exploring DC, we holed up in my apartment and tested granola recipes. I’d made up my mind to make Christmas presents this year, but wasn’t sure if granola would be a) feasible time-wise and b) classy and pretty enough.

Trust me, it’s both.

We started the day with homemade pumpkin spice lattes, before getting to work!

My plan was to test 5 different recipes: pumpkin spice, apple cinnamin, vanilla blueberry, orange cranberry, and coconut almond. We got out lots of oats, flax, sweeteners, nuts, and dried fruits, before getting to work in my tiny kitchen. Yum.

Pumpkin spice was a success! I’d already found a great recipe, and knew how to modify it to make things a bit more … pumpkin-y. It turned out really well.

Before finishing up the apple cinnamon granola, we went out to lunch at a creperie in Pentagon Row.

Bertrand was disappointed to discover that his smoked salmon was actually a smoked salmon salad, but Liz and I had delicious delicious crepes.

By the time we got home, post lunch, grocery store, and beer run, I was exhausted! We were able to finish up the apple cinnamon and vanilla blueberry granolas before friends came over for dinner, but didn’t get to the last two on our list.

Bertrand made Beninese food for dinner, and we washed it down with pumpkin beer.

I’ve tried to convince him that he should write up his recipes, but he really doesn’t have any. He’s a good cook, but does everything by feel. He can’t tell me how much broth, salt, or oil he uses in anything at all. No Beninese cook I’ve ever met actually mesures. Everything is done by taste, smell, and feel. I wish I could cook like that!topod

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Hi. My name is Theresa.

I am an expat, logistician, traveler, writer, paper crafter, lover of books and coffee, and occasionally doting mother. I am occasionally foul-mouthed, not nearly as diplomatic as my professional would imply, and fiercely feminist.

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